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I don't get this. I don't get this whole weight thing at all. Recording everything. Staying under my calorie allotment. Walking. Today I woke up, got a good night's sleep for the first time in a few days, felt better, lighter, and happily went on the scale. I weigh FOUR ****ING POUNDS more than I did a few days ago.
HOW IS THIS HAPPENING????? I am ready to just give up.
I am delaying having breakfast as long as I can because I don't know what else to do anymore. I had only lentil soup and two saltine crackers for dinner last night, woke up four pounds fatter, and now I am so hungry I am screaming at my cat who won't stop whining because she wants to go outside and eat grass so she can vomit it up in the house.
Going to have some oatmeal with a spoonful of peanut butter and some cinnamon. That should keep me for an hour or so. And save Foxy's life.
I've been lurking in this forum because I am mad at myself for gaining a little weight over the winter (I used to be really overweight and I took it off and I refuse to go back). Anyway, trying to drop 6 more pounds... again.
I wanted to chime in to this particular post because I may have an answer for you. You had soup and crackers. Depending on the soup, that's a lot of sodium which can make you retain water and water is pretty heavy.
Like others said, only weight yourself once a week. Some people pick Monday, but I always picked Friday because, usually, if I do treat myself to something like pizza with friends and such, it's on the weekend... and pizza has a lot of salt and always made me weigh more.
Anyway, again to add to all this, I used to be 70 pounds over weight and I lost it. I tried all kinds of diets from low carb, to Weight Watchers, to vegetarian, Slim Fast, etc. It all really boiled down to calories in, calories out. The difference is you want to get your calories from healthier, better foods that fill you up because it's not just about losing weight, it's also about putting good quality fuel in your body.
Can you lose weight eating 1400 calories a day in ice cream? Yes, but 1400 calories of ice cream is basically one large Dairy Queen cookie dough blizzard. That's it. No vitamins, no fiber, no protein... none of the other things your body needs and nothing else to eat all day. You will probably be hungry in a couple of hours of eating it.
On the other hand, I am eating 1400 calories today and I am having (over the course of the day) Two eggs, whole wheat toast with jam, 1 Cup of diced watermelon, 1/2 cup of hummus with baby carrots, 2 more cups of watermelon, a small cup of almonds, 4 oz of grilled chicken with BBQ sauce, 2 cups of green beans, 8 mini perogies, and 2 cups of strawberries with whipped cream on top for dessert. I won't be hungry all day.
Of course, now I want a Blizzard! LOL. Hence the struggle. (Good thing there is no DQ anywhere near where I live).
Weigh yourself once a week. Trust me on this one. Your weight can fluctuate quite a bit in just a few days time.
A weekly weigh in will give you a better picture of what is really going on in regards to losing and gaining fat.
Are you eating enough? If you are cutting your calories too much your body is going to rebel and hang on to everything that goes into it. Eat every 3 hours, either a meal or a healthy snack to get your over your hunger hump.
I weigh myself daily more so out of curiosity than anything
But yea 1 time a week is best for most people
I like to see the ups and downs as I am aware of my daily food intake so it kinda helps me track and learn what is best for me and maybe somethings I should avoid
Weigh yourself once a week. Trust me on this one. Your weight can fluctuate quite a bit in just a few days time.
A weekly weigh in will give you a better picture of what is really going on in regards to losing and gaining fat.
Are you eating enough? If you are cutting your calories too much your body is going to rebel and hang on to everything that goes into it. Eat every 3 hours, either a meal or a healthy snack to get your over your hunger hump.
Quote:
Originally Posted by riaelise
Firstly, that is way too little to eat for dinner. You are NOT going to score brownie points by undereating.
Secondly, whatever "gain" you experienced is more than likely NOT fat.
Thirdly, delaying eating and undereating may lead to bingeing, which can be destructive.
Fourthly, Lucky's right, the scale is going to sabotage whatever progress you're making. Remember what you are doing is not just change in scale weight, it's a lifestyle change. Progress is measured by many metrics, not just the weight on a scale. I've been in your shoes and still find myself obsessed over the scale. That needs to stop if you want any sense of normalcy in your life. If you felt "lighter" and "better", then don't set yourself up for failure by weighing yourself. You don't need the daily validation that you're doing the right thing.
Fifthly, did you download a fitness app to make sure that you are eating enough? Again, YOU SCORE NO BROWNIE POINTS BY UNDEREATING.
I thought I said, but maybe not in this thread, that I use My Fitness Pal, so yes. It is really helpful.
Trust me, I am not starving myself. I just happened to not get to eat last night until 9:30 p.m. because I got off the train at 5:39 and had to be somewhere at 6 so there was only time to stop home, feed the pointy-eared ones and run out to the meeting. The diner by my house has a kickass lentil soup on Wednesday nights, so I got a bowl. I USED to get a cup of the soup and a grilled cheese sandwich, and instead I just had the bigger bowl and the crackers. It was filling and good for that late at night.
I normally eat fairly well-balanced meals, although I am a (mostly, some fish) vegetarian, and it was easier to lose weight and stay satisfied back when I could have a steak and salad.
I had started using MFP again after a long period of denial and ice cream, and about six weeks ago I started recording my food intake again. It really does make a huge difference. I lost about five pounds...and then I didn't lose any more for two weeks. Then I appeared to have lost three pounds, and then this morning I weighed four more. There is nothing consistent about any of this.
I would be perfectly happy to lose 1 to 1.5 pounds a week, and that's how it seemed to be going at first, but now it's not, and I don't understand why. I am pretty much on the same calorie intake and exercise routine that I was that first month.
It is just very frustrating and illogical.
But thanks for the support and the suggestions. I think I probably do need to stay off that scale until once a week, as both of you said.
I thought I said, but maybe not in this thread, that I use My Fitness Pal, so yes. It is really helpful.
Trust me, I am not starving myself. I just happened to not get to eat last night until 9:30 p.m. because I got off the train at 5:39 and had to be somewhere at 6 so there was only time to stop home, feed the pointy-eared ones and run out to the meeting. The diner by my house has a kickass lentil soup on Wednesday nights, so I got a bowl. I USED to get a cup of the soup and a grilled cheese sandwich, and instead I just had the bigger bowl and the crackers. It was filling and good for that late at night.
I normally eat fairly well-balanced meals, although I am a (mostly, some fish) vegetarian, and it was easier to lose weight and stay satisfied back when I could have a steak and salad.
I had started using MFP again after a long period of denial and ice cream, and about six weeks ago I started recording my food intake again. It really does make a huge difference. I lost about five pounds...and then I didn't lose any more for two weeks. Then I appeared to have lost three pounds, and then this morning I weighed four more. There is nothing consistent about any of this.
I would be perfectly happy to lose 1 to 1.5 pounds a week, and that's how it seemed to be going at first, but now it's not, and I don't understand why. I am pretty much on the same calorie intake and exercise routine that I was that first month.
It is just very frustrating and illogical.
But thanks for the support and the suggestions. I think I probably do need to stay off that scale until once a week, as both of you said.
Your body is not a machine. You can gain, lose, stay the same at any given time for any given reason (water retention, stress, whatever). It's progress over time that counts. FWIW I "gained" four pounds between yesterday and today. Weight loss takes a lot of fortitude. Don't give up or you'll get absolutely nowhere.
I've been lurking in this forum because I am mad at myself for gaining a little weight over the winter (I used to be really overweight and I took it off and I refuse to go back). Anyway, trying to drop 6 more pounds... again.
I wanted to chime in to this particular post because I may have an answer for you. You had soup and crackers. Depending on the soup, that's a lot of sodium which can make you retain water and water is pretty heavy.
Like others said, only weight yourself once a week. Some people pick Monday, but I always picked Friday because, usually, if I do treat myself to something like pizza with friends and such, it's on the weekend... and pizza has a lot of salt and always made me weigh more.
Anyway, again to add to all this, I used to be 70 pounds over weight and I lost it. I tried all kinds of diets from low carb, to Weight Watchers, to vegetarian, Slim Fast, etc. It all really boiled down to calories in, calories out. The difference is you want to get your calories from healthier, better foods that fill you up because it's not just about losing weight, it's also about putting good quality fuel in your body.
Can you lose weight eating 1400 calories a day in ice cream? Yes, but 1400 calories of ice cream is basically one large Dairy Queen cookie dough blizzard. That's it. No vitamins, no fiber, no protein... none of the other things your body needs and nothing else to eat all day. You will probably be hungry in a couple of hours of eating it.
On the other hand, I am eating 1400 calories today and I am having (over the course of the day) Two eggs, whole wheat toast with jam, 1 Cup of diced watermelon, 1/2 cup of hummus with baby carrots, 2 more cups of watermelon, a small cup of almonds, 4 oz of grilled chicken with BBQ sauce, 2 cups of green beans, 8 mini perogies, and 2 cups of strawberries with whipped cream on top for dessert. I won't be hungry all day.
Of course, now I want a Blizzard! LOL. Hence the struggle. (Good thing there is no DQ anywhere near where I live).
I don't have a DQ but I have a small, cash-only family-owned homemade ice cream shop a mile away, and now it's on summer hours, so it's open till 11 on weekends. Late night temptation! I am successfully resisting, though.
I find that, in addition to an overall balanced diet, two specific things make a difference: Eating at least one salad every day, and walking every day.
I've missed a few walking days because I am leaving one part-time job while starting another, so in effect I am working full-time, which I said I would never do again (I am retired from a long career). The other problem is that spring has failed to launch in NJ. It's been rainy and cold for most of May. I do belong to Planet Fitness, so I can go there and walk on the treadmill or do the 30-minute cardio/strength circuit, but I haven't done that as often as I should have. I prefer to walk in a park nearby that has a two-mile paved trail with woods and water and is a bird sanctuary, and I like to do the 30-minute thinger at PF.
I do wonder if the salt was an issue. I didn't feel oversalted or bloated, but you never know.
Last edited by Mightyqueen801; 06-08-2017 at 04:00 PM..
Your body is not a machine. You can gain, lose, stay the same at any given time for any given reason (water retention, stress, whatever). It's progress over time that counts. FWIW I "gained" four pounds between yesterday and today. Weight loss takes a lot of fortitude. Don't give up or you'll get absolutely nowhere.
I can't give up. I went to the doctor last Friday, a six-month thyroid checkup that prompted another thread, happy as a clam because I lost five pounds and thought that surely my blood sugar levels went down, and instead, not only did they go UP, so did my cholesterol. Never had high cholesterol in my life until I stopped eating meat. Go figure.
He wanted to put me on meds for both things, and I asked him to wait for the next six months and let me see if I can get them down with diet and exercise. It is just so hard.
I also signed up for HelloFresh, one of those food services that brings you ingredients for three meals once a week but you have to prepare it yourself. Most of the meals are around 600 calories, which is not bad, and they are pretty healthful and surprisingly tasty.
They are a pain in the ass, because you have to chop this and season that and everything is packaged and you have to go looking for the scissors before you start cooking so you can open everything and in the end you've used four pots and pans and a cutting board just to make dinner for yourself when ordering a calzone would be so much easier. On the other hand, the meals are for TWO people, and there is only one of me, so I get a second meal that I don't have to spend an hour working to make on a different day. (They all say prep time is 30 minutes, but it's a lie. Onions are not soft in two minutes.)
I am not going to give up. This morning I just felt really discouraged and terrible and shocked after seeing the numbers on the scale. I mean, it was a number I hadn't seen in three weeks, and it shouldn't be.
I can't give up. I went to the doctor last Friday, a six-month thyroid checkup that prompted another thread, happy as a clam because I lost five pounds and thought that surely my blood sugar levels went down, and instead, not only did they go UP, so did my cholesterol. Never had high cholesterol in my life until I stopped eating meat. Go figure.
For many of us, eating meat is not a bad thing.
I'm so glad you're trying to beat this thing rather than take the meds, you go girl....
Your body is not a machine. You can gain, lose, stay the same at any given time for any given reason (water retention, stress, whatever). It's progress over time that counts. FWIW I "gained" four pounds between yesterday and today. Weight loss takes a lot of fortitude. Don't give up or you'll get absolutely nowhere.
You can help that fortitude by paying less attention to the daily weights (if you can try to help it!) and more to trends. I look at the trend and moving average of my daily weight measurements over the last 14 days, and spend 2 min every weekend doing this. This way I don't care about fluctuations, but over this long enough period, I can see how things are moving. Thinking about how much you gained or lost over the last day or two is just not helpful!
I'm so glad you're trying to beat this thing rather than take the meds, you go girl....
Thanks. I didn't say eating meat was a bad thing for anybody else. I ate meat for 57 years.
But lunch was amusing today. New job, was invited to attend a business luncheon at a fancy schmancy venue.
Ten people at the table, 7 were fasting. They set a big steak in front of me, and I said, no thanks. Waiter asked if I would prefer vegetables, and I said yes. Got a nice plate with a portabello mushroom cap, asparagus, real baby carrots, and a chopped vegetable medley with corn. It was tasty, but there sat three of us eating very self-consciously and minimally while the rest of the table sipped ice water. The others were amused and urged us to eat. It's another diet tool--eat with people who observe Ramadan!
My company owner told me she has her alarm set for 2:15 to get up and eat, then goes back to sleep and gets up and eats again before sunrise. Then that's it until sundown. Tough when it falls at this time of year.
Last edited by Mightyqueen801; 06-09-2017 at 03:31 PM..
I can't give up. I went to the doctor last Friday, a six-month thyroid checkup that prompted another thread, happy as a clam because I lost five pounds and thought that surely my blood sugar levels went down, and instead, not only did they go UP, so did my cholesterol. Never had high cholesterol in my life until I stopped eating meat. Go figure.
He wanted to put me on meds for both things, and I asked him to wait for the next six months and let me see if I can get them down with diet and exercise. It is just so hard.
Just within the past year or so, the mainstream medical community has come to the same conclusion that low carbers have known for 30 years. Our bad cholesterol is NOT raised by eating foods that contain cholesterol. Our bad cholesterol comes from our body manufacturing it.
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On the other hand, the meals are for TWO people, and there is only one of me, so I get a second meal that I don't have to spend an hour working to make on a different day. (They all say prep time is 30 minutes, but it's a lie. Onions are not soft in two minutes.)
I ate meat for 57 years.
